Conquering the Mountain
by Murthagh
Summary: Ser Gregor Clegane meets his match.
1. Chapter 1

As a young man, Ser Gregor Clegane came to enjoy the idea that he was a good killer. Maybe even the best. It started long before he was barely eight with cats and dogs, at that age he'd already grown so much it was too easy to crack their neck barehanded, so he stomped them to death. When he grew he discovered the unbridled thrill he got from holding little Sandor's face into the fire. He raped his first girl when he was twelve, some besotted tavern girl. Gregor remembered how she said he didn't have a prick big enough yet to fuck her with and that he should come back later. "I've already killed four people," Gregor had said to her while grabbing a fistful of her hair. He laughed to think how she screamed for help.

He developed severe migraines at a young age as well, though his memory was to foggy to know exactly when. For this he had an abundance of milk of the poppy, sometimes almost drinking whole flagons of it at a time. But more often the not the pain just wouldn't go away.

On one such day he leaned in a deep chair and roared at his servants. With his eyes shut tight and one cold gloved hand over his forehead he could only hear them scurry to obey him. Moments passed before he felt his blood begin to boil in his skin. They certainly were taking their damn time.

"Here, My Lord," breathed a smoky voice to the right of him, "Although I'd think how far along you are you'd be better to kill a servant." His eyes snapped up to a blurred vision of one of his new handmaids, a lithe, olive skinned girl with dark expressionless eyes. She might have been Dornish but he didn't know. "Know your place." He snarled and took a deep drink. The servant girl had already left, as she did each time.

The Mountain sat in silence while the effects began to wash over him. His body drooped a bit just before his eyelids fell and he plunged into the darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

Gregor was never visited by dreams. He didn't sleep for long either. Dawn would come hours later, and everyone in Clegane Keep was resting. All except Gregor. He'd woken up muscles aching from sleeping in a chair. His head still hurt, the migraines could last for a few days at times. Groggily he roamed the halls like a shadow preparing to wake the whole Keep up with his shouts and orders.

He heard a soft giggle come from behind a closed door in the servants washroom. Gregor planted himself and stared at the door inquisitively, waiting to hear another sound. This time a voice that didn't belong to the giggle, a woman's voice. He opened the door a crack and peered inside.

There was another recently new addition to his servants, Gretchen. She was bare of clothes and standing in a deep wooden tub. Her skin had goosebumps and her excellent endowments jiggled at her slightest shiver. "Tati, tell me more about your home land." Gretchen was joined by a very familiar face, Gregors strange olive-skinned maid. She poured something from a jar into the water while saying in a low tone, "No more to say than I have already told you, little one." To this Gretchen seemed disappointed. "Did you have a husband or a lover?" She pushed for more answers. "No." Tatiana smiled while shaking her head, turning Gretchen around sharply to scrub her back with a sponge. "Are you sure this will make me more appealing?"Gretchen shivered and covered her chest from the cold drips of water falling from her golden hair. "Yes. You will smell like everything a man loves and this will surely win his heart. I'm certain you've already interested him." Gretchen seemed to think on it hard.

Gregor was busy watching Gretchen's body and didn't notice Tatiana's eyes glance at him through the door.

Gretchen forced herself around and looked up at Tatiana, "I don't know how to kiss him. He tried to kiss me and I didn't know how so I ran..." She confessed and let her head drop in shame. Tatiana put her hand in Gretchen's hair and guided her face upwards, "If you trust your instincts you will be fine. Here."

There lips met, Tatiana taking the role of the male. Gretchen withered in her arms and sheepishly pulled closer to her teacher so their bodies met. Tatiana was still dressed, but Gretchen could feel her body was much stronger than the average girl.

The kiss lasted only a few moments. Gretchen touched her lips and watched as Tatiana began to role up her sleeves. "Sit in the tub now." Gretchen did as she was ordered and followed Tatiana with the eyes of an enchanted child. "He will push against you, you have to push back." Tatiana said sitting behind Gretchen and putting her hands on her sloping shoulders. "Then his hands will search your body." She demonstrated slowly, once all the way down then once up. Gretchen mewled softly under her fingertips. "He will find parts of you that you didn't know existed." Gretchen's jaw dropped as Tatiana's finger reached inside of her for just a moment. "You must show him you want this. It won't be pleasant for you if you tease him and stop him this far into the process." Gretchen only nodded and sunk into the tub contentedly as Tatiana stood to get something from the cupboard.

Gregor was more curious who would be having Gretchen than anything. He watched on as the slender maid washed the other, trying to hear more of the conversation, but it was only Gretchen's silly questions. He got frustrated and finally barged in. Gretchen gasped and covered herself while also prostrating herself, "Ser Gregor." She bowed low shivering.

Tatiana bowed her head and maintained her ground. Gregor first walked over to her, "Who is this man you two speak of?" He could audibly hear Gretchen begging Tatiana not to divulge. "Tatiana's eyes moved to Gretchen for a moment then back to her master, "You, m'Lord."


	3. Chapter 3

Gregor had locked the door behind him for this. He planned to do something to each girl, whether it be punish or kill or fuck. Gretchen certainly sensed the impending danger and looked to Tatiana pleadingly. Clearly she felt alone as Tatiana herself remained absolutely calm.

It was infuriating to Gregor that she refused to quake in his presence, but almost more infuriating that Gretchen suddenly found her voice and began begging Tatiana to tell the truth, "Please Tati, tell him. Tell him Tati, I was only taking a bath there is no man." Tears streamed down her face.

Gregor frowned. Women were disgusting whenever they cried. He took one stride towards the tub where she wept and backhanded her so hard she crashed into the cobble floor with blood spraying from her mouth. In another strode he was in Tatiana's face, so angry now his chest heaved.

Tatiana looked up at him with her eyes only. Gregor almost forgot how to hit for a moment, but managed to injure Tatiana as well by slapping her across the mouth. She stumbled backwards into the wall and held her jaw.

"This is no brothel, whores. You will wake the others... NOW." He watched them both respectively gather themselves, the calmer girl leaving without a word and the other trying her best to re-dress. As she pulled her skirt over herself Gregor slammed the door once more. "You stay. You haven't learnt your lesson." His voice was an ominous rumble, it was rare to hear him say so much, and that made it all the more terrifying.

The rumor spread that Gretchen had been hung to look like a suicide spread through the Keep like wildfire. Servants who knew better didn't question it, but there were a few with foolish bravery to whisper to each other that The Mountain that Rides should be arrested and executed.

One such boy had been working in the stables and tending to the three horses Gregor used most often. "He beats them senseless, poor beasts. I imagine they struggle carrying his big arse through the damned place." He laughed at his witty joke, the others joined. They felt safe saying these things while Gregor was out hunting.

Tatiana was usually around to hear these things. To them, she was taciturn and hard-working. They'd never seen her take a break. They also thought she was a kind spirit. It almost hurt to reserve herself around these people without laughing a little.

"Tatiana, what do you think?" asked the stable boy while he looked away from his meager meal at her back. "That's a clever joke." She replied and wiped her apron with her hands. She excused herself and left to retrieve a hock of salted venison for Ser Gregor's dinner from the coldroom outside.

The night was cold and the Mountain should be returning very soon, she thought to herself. There was something she needed to remove from the coldroom before he arrived.

Inside she first removed her apron, just in case she made a mess while cleaning up. She took the venison she had said she'd get and set it aside so she could easily walk out with it. The next task was to take the body from behind a stack of barrels filled with salt and dispose of it.

The man had died in pain, his face and shoulders covered with deep gashes still oozing with blood. She had a little trouble pulling him by the legs, he was easily twice her size, but once she found her footing it was easy enough to make it to the door.

Too late. Gregor was galloping up to the stables. By the sound of it he'd caught plenty of game, and that meant he'd want to clean the kills and hang the meat in the cold room.

Tatiana would be caught, there was nothing she could do now but put on a pleasant smile.


	4. Chapter 4

Tatiana ran as if her life depended on it. Growing up she'd been one of the fastest children, faster than the boys even, but that was on flat lands. Running through the woods while the night was at it's darkest turned her focus on her feet and arms as she tried not to stumble. Time was a factor in this.

In her haste a briar snatched her shawl away and became tangled. He could use it too easily to find her direction, she knew she couldn't risk leaving it for him to find. Quickly she began prying it from the branches grip, feeling her heart pound with every second lost.

Snap.

Her face turned just as a figure twice as tall as the average man eclipsed the moon and cast a dark shadow over her. It was Gregor. She abandoned the shawl and ran forward without daring look back. Tatiana didn't need to know he was there, she could hear his thunderous footsteps practically knocking down the pine trees and his raspy breath just behind her at all times.

She weaved through the trees trying to lose him and was successful. Gregor had tripped and shouldered a tree hard, his back falling against another as the vines from a thorn bush refused to let go of his pant leg. Tatiana looked back for a moment to watch him curse and smiled to herself, trying to resist a giggle of triumph.

She gained a good distance from him but had been running for half an hour now and risked taking a rest and hiding in a thicket to catch her breath. All over her arms, face and legs were light scratches. Tatiana was more worried about the cold, though, as she was barefoot.

Quietly she closed her eyes, relying on her ears to tell her if he was near. There was no way a man that size could be more silent than a doe.

Gregor was clever, though.

She had finally let her guard down, figuring he'd gone the wrong way, and left her hiding place to keep going. She took eight footsteps before Gregor caught her neck with his arm and pulled her down to the ground.

"You caught me," Tatiana panted with a smile.

"You run too fast," Gregor complained and pulled her face close to his. Their lips met in a fiery embrace. "What's my prize?"

Tatiana stood up, looking down at Gregor as he remained seated on the ground. His size made it so that she only barely turned her head down. She showed him the prize with a few adjustments to her dress, letting it pool at her ankles like water. Her body was striking in the moonlight. Gregor waited not a moment longer and tackled her viciously against a tree with the same thorny vines that tangled Gregor, making Tatiana's breath escape her lungs. He made sure none would come back to her for a moment by clasping his hand around her neck and squeezing.

Gregor pinned her up with her legs dangling and her back punctured by thorns with his arm until he'd freed himself from his breeches. Tatiana lifted her knees and wrapped her legs around his waist. Gregor guided himself as deep as his could go the first time, making a subtle groan in the back of his throat.

His hand let go of her throat so he could listen to her gasp for air. She didn't disappoint, moaning ever so lightly and rolling her hips in circles. Gregor watched her move as he imagined everything he could do to her. The thought made him feel weak in the knees.

As he took her hips in his hands and began thrusting his thoughts wandered to how one day he might have to kill her before she got out of hand. She shared a unique blood-lust with him and although it was convenient to have someone like her to clean his messes and fuck him later, he'd seen her kill a man before.

Human life meant absolutely nothing to Tatiana.

Their relationship was still unknown to anyone. Tatiana retained a respected position among the servants. They still thought she could be trusted and came to her for advice. She was frighteningly excellent at hiding her true self, even around Gregor who already knew what she was.

Gregor usually brought a handful of servants on visits to King's Landing or Casterly Rock, and one day when she'd been chosen she was confronted by another servant, a man by the name of Dean, who expressed great worry for her.

"He'll try to take you, he might kill you if you resist," He said frantically.

Tatiana leaned her head to the side at the right angle, her brows curved upwards, "Dean, please don't worry so. I don't know what's overcome you, I've served Ser Clegane many times, he has no interest in me."

"Shit on that you're the closest thing I've seen to an angel... I love you Tatiana," Dean shivered, tears welled up in his eyes. Although Tatiana expressed sadness and surprise expertly, she felt nothing.

"Dean I..." She began, but Dean interrupted. "Run away with me, Tatiana. We can make it to the coast if we ride hard and then I can find my brother and he'll take us across the sea." He rambled on, squeezing her shoulders and begging.

"I can't, Dean. He'd find us." She produced fat tears as she said this, making Dean break down. He pulled her close and brushed her hair, "Tatiana don't be scared of him. I could protect you from that monster."

Tatiana would've laughed at that, Gregor knew as he listened from the other side of the door. He wondered if he should make a scene, see the terror in that fool's eyes as he took Tatiana and fucked her right there. It made it oddly more tempting knowing that Tatiana would play it up very well.

Dean screamed like a pig suddenly, his voice ending in a disgusting gurgle. Gregor stormed in to see him bleeding like a waterfall from his gut, and Tatiana shrugging in the corner. "Damnit, you fucking idiot. Why did you kill him before I told you to?" He backhanded her like a misbehaved dog and received a dark look.

Gregor would have to kill her one day before she killed him.


	5. Chapter 5

A jousting tourney was called in the Fall and Gregor was to be the champion. He knew it before he even arrived to meet the competition. For what the tourney was being held for he could not care less. Just another man helping King Baratheon run his kingdom for him. Gregor spat at this, he wouldn't hand over power like that to any man.

He glared over at the King's box through the thin slit in his helm and imagined for a moment him being in that seat. It would be glorious. Executions daily done by him, every woman he had was torn from other men or well known for their superb beauty. All of the milk of poppy he could ever need or want.

Fuck that, he thought finally, why did he need a crown to do all of that. He was Ser Gregor Clegane, and no man could oppose him after all.

He climbed onto his new stallion and trotted over for the formalities, lifting the plate on his helm to reveal himself. The audience at this moment always looked at him with fear and excitement. Gregor caught sight of his protege, Tatiana, and wasn't sure if he were more worried she'd reveal her savage tendencies here or feeling like he should slaughter someone to make her smile.

It was a few weeks ago when they were laying in bed that Gregor learned of her homeland. It still baffled him knowing she was Dothraki of all things. She refused to tell him more, though, saying that her past was of no importance to him.

The tourney began and for the first night, a man from the Vale, he had given Gregor an invitation by leaving his neck so exposed. His lance pierced through the Vale knights neck viciously and left massive splinters behind. Some cheered, but only for a moment. Then there was a collective gasp.

He could care less of their opinions. It was well known to him that everyone suspected he was more a murderer than a knight. As long as the Lannisters lended money to the King, he would be a knight.

Gregor looked over to Tatiana, who indeed had a smile, but it was chillingly soft like an innocent maiden's. He watched her for a moment as she held a normal conversation with a young child until more and more he was reminded of Elia and her baby. Angrily, he shook the memory away, despising that the filthy wife of a Targaryen was still trying to haunt him. He would rape her and dash the child's head against the wall a hundred times more if he could.

The next opponent rode around as Gregor sized up the threat. Hardly any, he was absolutely sure, as the Knight of Flowers was a pixie of a man. Gregor hoped that this would be the second death of the day.

Soemthing went terribly wrong, though. His horse betrayed him and caused him to be lanced off the back and into the dirt. The shame and anger flooded him almost instantly. He threw off his helm, realizing just now that the Knight of Flowers had used a mare in heat to trick his stallion, and shouted for his sword.

With one swoop he took the head of his courser clean off and stomped over to the oblivious winner who addressed the audience with pride. Gregor grabbed the small man and threw him to the ground hard, preparing to chop him into pieces, and then finally he would kill the mare.

His little brother's hideous face appeared then, making Gregor even more angry. He lifted his sword up high over his head and brought it crashing down over Sandor's head, hoping it would slice him in half. His brother was stronger than expected though, and so they battled for longer then Gregor had wanted.

He was ready to kill his brother once and for all when King Baratheon ordered them to halt. Gregor didn't grovel on his knees like Sandor had done, he instead stormed away feeling his head about to explode with rage. Behind him he could hear his brother being named the winner of the tourney, and the crowd cheering louder than they ever had for him.

/

Everyone was wise to avoid Gregor for the night, even Tatiana. She followed him in the shadows while he strangled servant girls and roared profanities in the Keep. The bodies weren't there when regor came back, he knew Tatiana had gotten rid of them. Something deflated in him then, remembering his Dothraki maid.

He spoke to the empty air, knowing she was nearby, "Tatiana come out." At first there was no response. "You would be dead already if I wanted to kill you." Gregor grumbled and plopped down in a chair, putting his hand over his face in defeat.

She obliged and stood before him quietly forcing Gregor to be the first one to speak. "Would you kill a man if I asked you to?"


	6. Chapter 6

Ser Gregor had a rare and befuddling dream one night after the incident with the Tourney. He had no body, but he could see Tatiana standing before a glass surfaced lake. She held in her hand a crystal chalice that she filled to the brim with the water and gracefully raised it to her mouth without so much as losing a drop. Her dark eyes moved up to look at him and she smiled as if she knew he was watching. It became briefly dark, like Gregor had slowly blinked, and when his eyes could once again focus the chalice in Tatiana's hands had turned into a large heart that she took gluttonous bites out of. Her eyes were sinister like black holes. Before the dream ended, Gregor looked down and saw his reflection in the placid water, just a head...

With a sharp jolt he woke up alone in his bed, two of his hunting dogs were whimpering in the corner. He gathered his surrounding and sighed in relief that he still had his body. Relaxing his shoulders a little and laying back on his back to recover he suddenly noticed something out of place in his bedroom. He didn't have much use for decoration, but other than his bed and a simple wardrobe, he had a table covered with private letters, maps, orders and other such things. The thing that struck him as odd was that there was a plain pine-wood box laying on top of his papers, a box he'd never seen in his life.

Gregor threw his legs out of bed first and paused for a moment. He inspected the space under his bed superstitiously, but found nothing but a pair of discarded boots. Finally he approached the box and noticed a tiny note folded perfectly on top of the box. He unfolded it carefully trying not to rip the leafy paper to shreds before he could read the message. It simply said:

"Do you like it?"

The writing was done in long swoops and thin lines, embellished with a small tail on each letter. It was Tatiana's hand writing. Gregor set the note aside and eyed the box. Picking it up carefully with his palm he tried to guess what it could be by the weight and felt his jaw set. There was something fleshy inside, he could hear it pitter patter against the wood as he moved the box slightly.

Reluctant but curious he began prying the lid off off the box, a light popping sound was made when he revealed it's contents. It was a goddamned human heart.

/

It was clear that Tatiana had done this, and he learned later that the heart must have belonged to the Knight of Flowers, as Lord Renly reported a female assassin attack him and the Knight while they were speaking on private matters.

Gregor didn't know whether to be impressed that she had actually done it without being caught or to be worried that on top of that she snuck into his room without him knowing. He sat in a chair reading the message informing each keep of the murder and rubbed his palm over his mouth. She was getting out of hand, he knew it, but something in him didn't like the idea of getting rid of her just like the others. You don't slay a bear the same way you slaughter a deer.

He tossed the paper and went to find Tatiana who was busy at work cooking lunch and preparing dinner in the kitchen. No one else was in the room, it seemed like the perfect time. Gregor closed the door, and although normally Tatiana would acknowledge his presence this time she kept her back turned. It was so surreal watching her do normal things as if he wasn't there, he began to wonder if maybe he was dreaming again and when she turned around she'd be ghoulish again.

Gregor forced her to turn around and was shocked to see a hideous gash going down from her temple across her brow and over her eye, another small gash on her bottom lip, and a vicious bruise on her jaw. He gawked at her for a moment before asking, "What the fuck happened?"

"A man with half of a face swiped me with a child's knife and when I knocked it away he used his fists. I would have killed him had I not known he was yours to kill. Your little brother yes?" She turned back around and as if nothing was the matter hummed a song under her breath.

Gregor walked up right next to her and shouted in her ear, "Sandor attacked you? Did he see your face?" He was furious now, at both his brother and her.

Tatiana threw him a glance as if he was acting childish and said, "No, I was masked, he saw nothing but an assassin."

Gregor didn't find any comfort in this. Sandor was too nosey for his own good. "Why the fuck did you kill someone in the palace? Do you know how much trouble I might be in now?"

Tatiana had been gently cutting bits of meat and carrots with a thick knife when he said this, and as he finished she raised it above her head and brought it down much too swiftly for Gregor's comfort. The wood table was no match as the blade went straight through with a loud crack. Tatiana whipped around, something wild in her eyes, like a jungle cat. "I do not care about your laws. No man should have power if they cannot defend their own life."

Gregor felt a challenge in her tone and glared seethingly, "You think you could kill me as well?"

She looked him up an down, "You might have made a better Dothraki. But I kill anyone, even my own kin. Although you are my master, you bought me, I would still kill you if need be."

Gregor had just about heard enough. He had located a big enough knife and brandished it. "Fine Tatiana, I kind of liked you, but this has to end here and now."

Tatiana didn't grab for any knives, but she threw her apron aside and clenched her fists in preparation.


	7. Chapter 7

Blood spilled almost immediately. Gregor's mind was too concentrated on killing this monster he'd indulged for too long to think of who's it might be. Easily the two of them leveled the area and chased each-other from room to room causing chaos in their wake. She didn't have his sheer strength, but Tatiana was the quicker of the two. She was a torrid fighter and Gregor had never seen her get winded yet. He was cautious about his attacks not wanting to risk giving her an opening. He knew it would be fatal if he did.

By the time they had made it outside by the stables the two stood feet apart just observing their handiwork. Gregor saw her dress hang heavily around her, soaked in blood. Strings of her hair flew around her head. The worst part was her face, that had suddenly taken on the appearance of that of a wild predator. She gave him a grizzly smile and raised a blade he had not seen in her possession before to her tongue, slowly gliding it across flatly until the silver once again shimmered. He examined himself quickly then, his hands almost instantly finding a deep, squirting wound in his ribs. The pain flooded over him. He'd had worse.

Tatiana checked herself as well, her face seeming to flicker back to humanity for a second when she too found a gash square in her belly. Already a welt formed around the wound and she could remember him punching her, but more clearly now she realized he'd gutted her with all his force. Gregor waited for her to explode into rage and use the last of her essence to kill him but after several moments he could see her knees shaking. She grunted, trying to force herself to step forward, but instead she fell onto her hands into the fresh mud. He loomed over her, in any other situation he'd feel triumphant, but this was a kill he never wanted to make.

She gave him a knowing look as he knew as well as she did what awaits a Dothraki warrior after defeat. Tatiana kept her blade in her hand and used an extreme amount of force to stand on her feet for her death.

/

Others had died in the skirmish and it was certain Gregor would need to do more to keep this quiet. He lounged on a partially broken chair while a handmaid tended to his wounds. She gasped loudly at seeing his back, exclaiming loudly, "Ser Clegane, you've been stabbed!" One after another the girl cleaned each wound and with each he smiled a little more. He had no idea how close Tatiana had been to killing him until now. The maid began stitching feebly, feeling herself become less brave after seeing all of the blood.

"Ser," One of his men rushed in and stood aghast at his leader's state, "Is she dead?"

Gregor frowned deeply, "And where were you when she was stabbing my back a dozen times over?"

The man nervously wringed his hand and looked away from Gregor's pitless eyes, "I-I...we all didn't know what to do."

Gregor had nothing more to say to his moron of a bannerman. He would later slaughter him and a few others. Every life he took after his battle with Tatiana felt like plucking flowers from the ground and crushing them in his fists. Too easy.


	8. Chapter 8

Gregor had adjourned to his bedroom for the rest of the day and declared that if he was disturbed for anything at all he'd make an example out of everyone in the Keep for their loving families to see. It was an effective threat. Quietly, he glutted on milk of the poppy and contemplated on his future now that Tatiana was no longer a possibility. In his palm, he held the heart that she'd gifted him, the Knight of Flowers heart, and rolled it between his fingers. He'd planned on just throwing this trophy of the assassination away for dog scraps but the more time past the more he realized that this was all of her he had left. The temptation to feel sentimental was almost overwhelming.

He threw it into the fireplace and listened to the familiar crackle of flesh burning. It was just this morning that remembered feeling so angry he was sure it'd last for days, and even as he was having his wounds sutured he was expecting it, but now he only felt... calm. The feeling was so strange and unfamiliar to him. Gregor relished it while it lasted.

Hours later an idiotically cheery messenger was sent up saying aloud 'how remarkable it was that the maids and servants were no where to be seen to deliver this important letter to their master, and that he supposed he could just bring it in person. Gregor pulled the door open and let it clatter against the stone wall, the loud crash made the messenger jump, "S-Ser Clegane I presume? A letter." He had obviously forgotten Gregor's reputation up until this moment and betrayed his obvious fear by feebly handing over the parcel. Gregor slammed the door once against after giving the little man a sour frown and let him go relatively untraumatized.

The letter was simply a repeat of several things he knew already, notice of the death of Loras Tyrell, orders from Tywin Lannister to raid the Riverlands, other such things he couldn't give thought to for the moment. A small pop came from the fireplace and when he looked over he could see something shining in the open pocket of the heart. His curiosity peaked, he plucked it from the flames like it were from water and dug out an ornate brass ring, Tatiana's final gift to him and a treasure from the Dothraki lands. Their were inscriptions of what he assumed didn't belong to the Dothrak inside the band, and six small blood-red gems encircling the picture of a dog on it's hind legs made in gold. It was the finest crafting he'd ever seen, surely stolen from a wealthy dignitary or even royalty.

He slid it onto his first finger and stared at it a little longer. Immediately afterwards he ripped it back off and threw it across the room in rage. Gregor demolished his room and broke down to his knees as his thoughts drowned him. He wasn't ready to admit that... Tatiana had been a special part of his life. And he refused to even after he prepared that night to leave for the Riverlands, even as he burned and pillaged and saw her face in every woman and despite knowing how much she would have loved to be fighting along side him. The anger wasn't relieved by anything, it just grew.

/

Eddard Stark claimed Gregor as a criminal and condemned him to death. Gregor received the news with a placid face as he had no need to worry. He was untouchable, especially now that fat King Baratheon was six feet under. His orders were to now leave the Riverlands and make way towards the East and hide out, and that's just exactly what he'd done.

He was awake long after his men fell asleep and poured over a map, not for any reason really other than to trace the lines with his eyes for something to do as he drank himself into a stupor. Outside the horses woke up and quietly grunted or blew air out of their nostrils, padding the ground around them softly. The mountain winds stirred through the trees that spotted the landscape. Gregor took another sip of wine, only to find an empty cup. He sighed heavily and kicked his chair back as he stood up to fetch more.

Then, a familiar presence in the room. A smoky voice said ever so sweetly, "Would you mind if I shared a drink with you?"


	9. Chapter 9

Gregor was temporarily paralyzed by the voice behind him. He stood motionless as his unwanted guest poured herself a glass of wine. "You seem tense," She commented with a hint of amusement. It must have been terribly pleasurable for her to see him in such a state. He had hoped to never see her face again, but after sparing her life that day that had become inevitable. No one had ever let a Dothraki live after a fight and expected the outcome to be pleasant. The Mountain, although a man not to be trifled with, was not immune to death. Now that Tatiana was here, he was certain she was the only thing on this earth that could make him feel so mortal.

He waited for an abrupt attack until it felt like an eternity had passed. When he finally felt safe to turn and face her, she was lounging like an exotic feline beast in his chair, making it seem like a throne. He felt something inside him vanish and a great emptiness filled him as he wished she had never stepped into his life. Gregor wanted to kill her for it, for taking the fire out of him. If he'd had more sense, he would have killed her long ago. Nothing was said as he picked a chair opposite her, sobering up quicker than he'd wanted to. He tried to drink more in an attempt to make her vanish into a hallucination, but there was not enough milk of poppy in the world to do that. Finally he could bear the silence and her piercing gaze no longer.

"Tatiana... why did you come here?" He asked her while looking into his cup. There was a deeper meaning to his question but he knew there was no answer that would satisfy him.

Tatiana herself wanted answers. She had gone through a lot of trouble tracking Gregor down, just to finish the job, but after her opportunities came and went she felt less capable of taking his life. She searched herself for a satisfying response for Gregor's question, but best she could do was, "You know why."

It wasn't the answer he'd hoped for, like he'd expected. He could tell though that he wouldn't be dying tonight at least, and poured her another cup of wine to express a truce in their conflict. She drank deeply from the cup, never looking away from him as she did. Tatiana, although still as hauntingly beautiful as Gregor remembered, had something worryingly different about her. It wasn't the light scarring on her face from their fight, which made her look distinguished, or the way she'd chosen to dress in a colorful red garment, but the look of tiredness in her eyes. Gregor must have had a similar look.

"There's a bounty on your head." She uttered finally, slight concern showing in her face.

"Oh, and do you plan to collect?" He scoffed.

"I'm here to help," She tried to hide the obvious concern in her voice.

"The Starks and all of their loyal followers are all but wiped out, I have nothing to fear as long as Tywin Lannister finds me useful." He grumbled, looking anywhere but at her face. It made him uneasy seeing that kind of care in her.

"No, there are others." Tatiana shook her head.

"Unless it's you I have nothing to worry about." He glanced at her to see that mischievous smirk of hers, she'd been somewhat flattered by his comment.

"You should be worried about this." Her smile faded and she looked off into infinity passed Gregor's head, her hand toying with her cloak. She didn't doubt for a moment the threat this held for Gregor's life. Something was deeply wrong in the numbers of men baying for Gergor's blood.

Gregor had no response for her, not just yet. He wanted to relish the moment, just sitting with Tatiana in silence. The silence might have gone on for the rest of the night. Alas, nothing is ever that simple.

"Your enemies are everywhere, Gregor. The land burns and the people who survive wish the worst fate of you. I've been as far as the docks in the south and even there they speak of you in ill ways," She leaned closer to him, hoping this message would penetrate him.

He chuckled carelessly, though, "It has always been as such. I inspire fear as always."

For a moment Gregor wondered if he could hear faint music in the distance, looking at her dark, deep eyes. She had never looked him in the eye like this before, like she was pleading with him.

"Besides," he pulled himself away from her gaze, the music he was sure was just a trick of the mind now, and he grabbed the corner of a letter, "I'm to return to King's Landing soon. Finally."

She looked petrified, her jaw hanging slightly loose. "You can't go there, surely you know this is death."

Gregor dropped the letter on the desk and sighed deeply, "Why? The Lannisters have an iron grip on the goings-on of the entire Kingdom now. Did you not here that Robert Stark was slain? There is no one to fight now."

Tatiana leaned back into the chair, running her fingers over her lips as she turned her attention to the table and the letter. "There are men who want to kill you everywhere, how hard would it be for one to follow you into the Red Keep..." She muttered under her breath.

Gregor's took his turn to lean forward, "What if I brought you with me for protection?"

She looked towards him when he boldly grasped her hand in his, surprised somewhat by the unusual gentleness in his touch.

"I'll take you as my wife." He waited for what he assumed to be an explosive moment.

Tatiana did seem intrigued by the offer, but instead of jumping with joy she wordlessly stared at him as if waiting for the punchline of a joke.

"Are you done amusing yourself?" She looked at him up and down with suspicion.

Gregor had a face as serious as death. "Tatiana, I will lavish you with jewels and expensive cloths as long as you remain as loyal as you are to me now forever."

The silence was sharp in Gregor's chest. He'd opened up and bared weakness and now if she rejected him it would destroy him. His mind raced with thoughts that worked against him, making him feel more vunerable.

"It's your curse now, marriage to a Dothraki woman is as dangerous as giving her a knife and falling asleep with your throat unguarded," As Tatiana said this in a slow, sultry tone, she climbed up into his lap. She withdrew a blade from her garment and demonstrated in her own violently playful way what it would feel like to have her press the sharp end against his neck. Gregor, in any other circumstance, might have been enraged by this threat, but Tatiana had a was about her. He grew hotter as she went on, willingly let her do as she pleased. She cut a small notch in his shirt and watched his expression as she ripped the fabric open.

With a large patch of his chest exposed she cut into his flesh very delicately, drawing blood as she went. Gregor grunted feeling more pleasure than pain in her hands. While her nails dug into his chest, he dove forward and hungrily sucked the flesh on her neck. Their arms clutched the others bodies in unison as they felt a similar desire for their skin to touch.

Gregor had enough of waiting, enough playing, and he, being an impatient man, stripped her bare within seconds. He missed the feeling of her body in his hands and grabbed everything he could as they found a more practical location to fuck. The floor would do. Tatiana was impatient too, and wasted no time dominating her place on top of him, stripping him as bare as herself. They both took a moment to drink in eachother before Gregor made the first move and grabbed her hip in one hand, his manhood in the other. She guided him inside and threw her head back, the elation of their physical reunion sending chills all through her body. Gregor wasted no time, taking control for a moment to find a good pace. He groaned in harmony with Tatiana's moans, loosing himself in her image. She was glowing. Gregor pulled her down over him and, while remaining his position, kissed her. The surprise in Tatiana's eyes was evident, but she had enjoyed his strangely loving behavior and re-payed him the affection.

While they were totally lost in there own world, the rest of the world plotted.


End file.
